Improvement in modes of attaching sleigh-bells to harness



B. E. DEXTER.

Modes of Attaching Sleigh-Bells to Harness.

N0. 149,123. Patentvedjune24.1873

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UNITED STATES PATENT ErroEL BELA E. DEXTER, OF GOWANDA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MODES OF ATTACHING SLElGH-BELLS TO HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,123, dated June 24, 1873; application filed i March 17, 1873.

To all whom tt may concern:

State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attaching SleighBells to a Harness; and I do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and being a part of this speciication, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of what are usually denominated Russian bells, attached to the back-pad or saddle of a harness, when in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine, in a dili'erent position.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

What are usually termed Russian bells are two or more open-mouthed bells, secured to a bow, which, in turn, is secured in a vertical position, and rigidly, to the haines, collar, or saddle of a harness. When it becomes necessary to blanket the horse, when harnessed, the bow is so high as to prevent the blanket from touching the horse along his back and shoulders, and, if the blanket is fastened around his neck, the horse, y'in throwing his head up and down, frequently breaks the bow, by the blanket catching iny the same. The nature of this invention relates to so attaching such bow to the harness that, when it becomes necessary .to blanket the harnessed horse, the bow may be thrown down into the position shown in Fig. 2, to allow the blanket to be put on to the comfort of the horse, and

without danger ot' breaking the bow. The in vention consists in so pivotingthe bow to that part of the harness where it is desired to attach it, that it may be thrown down from the vertical to a horizontal position, when desired, and in securing said bow in a vertical position when in use, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawing, A represents the saddle of l a harness, to which is secured the L-shaped irons b, to which, in turn, is pivoted, at each end, the bow B, carrying the bells O. In the top ends of these L-irons are cut the notches a to receive the spring-latches d, which are secured to the bow. When this bow is Vertical and in use these latches engage with these notches, and hold the two rigidly in position. By disengaging the latches from the notches the bow may be thrown down to a horizontal position, as shown.

I do not desire to limit myself to the method described of securing the bow by the springlatches, as many other equivalent means may be adopted to produce a similar result.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The bell-bow B, pivoted to the harness, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the bell-bow B and irons b the spring-latches d, or their equivalents, ,substantially as and for the purposes described.

BELA E. DEXTER. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. PARKER, WILLM. WILLooX. 

